Separately Together: Working Reflexively as a Team

Discussions of reflexivity tend to ignore issues of practice, and those addressing practice are likely to presume a sole researcher. In this paper, we respond to the need for attention to reflexive practice in qualitative research teams. Drawing on our experience of working ‘separately together’, we identify reflexivity as an embedded feature of team-based research. We discuss how reflexivity can be used as a collective interpretive resource in the construction of the research subject/object, and we highlight reflexive possibilities unique to team-based research. We include in the article a presentation of the orientations and research practices that supported our reflexive teamwork.     

Age at immigration and educational attainment

Cette analyse des données d'une étude sur la mobilité canadienne révèle que le niveau d'éducation atteint par les immigrants qui sont arrivés au Canada à temps pour suivre les cours d'école primaire, semble être plus élevé que le niveau atteint par ceux qui sont arrivés avant ou après cet âge. Toutefois, comme la plupart des différences entre les catégories d'âge à L'arrivée ne sont guère significatives, statistiquement parlant, et comme les valeurs des mesures concises de la relation globale sont peu élevées, il y a lieu de douter si L'âge à L'arrivée exerce en soi un effet direct sur le niveau d'éducation atteint. Ces résultats sont en opposition avec ceux publiés par Inbar et donnent très peu d'appui à celui-ci, dont les conclusions font croire que L'âge à L'arrivée entraîne des conséquences différentielles pour L'acculturation. Analysis of Canadian Mobility Study data reveals that educational attainment tends to be higher among those who immigrated to Canada during grade school years than among those who immigrated earlier or later. However, as most differences between age-at-immigration categories are not statistically significant and as values for summary measures of the overall relationship are low, there is reason to doubt that age at immigration, in itself, exercises a direct effect on educational attainment. These findings contrast sharply with those reported by Inbar and provide little support for his conclusion that age at immigration has differential consequences for acculturation.     

Residential Programmes for Children and Youth: An Exercise in Re-framing

Summary The key functions of residential programmes for children andyouth irrespective of their location in the health care, education,social welfare or criminal justice system are identified inthis paper. The issues of mandate for and status of those servicesis addressed. Finally, a series of propositions are offeredwhich seek to show how those factors influence the social positionand public credibility accorded to those important componentsof the group care field.     

CIGARETTE TAXES AND THE MASTER SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

In 1998, 46 states and the four major tobacco companies entered into the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), which stipulated that the tobacco companies pay the states $206 billion over the next several years. Mean cigarette excise taxes rose substantially, nearly 90%, between 1998 and 2002. The goal of our empirical analysis is to assess whether the changes in cigarette excise taxes can be attributed to litigation brought by the states and the resulting settlements. Using a panel data difference-in-difference approach, the evidence suggests that litigation increased excise taxes: state cigarette excise taxes were approximately $0.10 higher post-MSA. (JEL H2, I1 )     

TESTING FOR EFFICIENCY IN LOTTO MARKETS

State-sponsored lotto games, because they are pari-mutuel and because jackpots with no winner are rolled over into the next drawing, present an excellent opportunity to test for market efficiency. Using data from Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Ohio, we investigate bettors' responses and test for weak-form efficiency. Lotto bets do not have positive net expected returns, thus weak-form efficiency exists. To evaluate strong-form efficiency we utilize the concept of a rational expectations equilibrium. We find that in general lotto bettors' decisions to play generate a level of sales that conform to their original forecasts of expected value.     

THE EFFECT OF RETAIL PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES ON SALES*

This article reports the formulation and results of a multiple equation econometric model to relate retail sales by brand and package size to retail promotional variables for a branded, frequently purchased grocery product. Primary emphasis is placed on the formulation of the model as opposed to the results obtained from its use.     

THE SUPPLY OF CHILDREN'S TIME TO DISABLED ELDERLY PARENTS

This study develops and tests a model of supply of children's time to disabled elderly parents, using data from the National Long-Term Care Survey. The model, which assumes strategic behavior among relatives, offers predictions about effects of changes in the price of paid personal care, parent's wealth, kid's wage rates, public in-kind subsidies of personal care, and parent's relative bargaining power on care provided by children. Although several statistically significant relationships are obtained, the evidence does not generally indicate that children's provision of care to parents is guided by a strategic bequest motive.     

The Structure and Stability of Political Attitudes: Findings from the 1974-76 Dearborn Panel Study

This article examines the structure and stability of publicopinion between the 1972 and 1976 presidential elections. Thedata consist of a four-wave panel study of 800 residents inDearborn, Michigan; interviews were conducted in the springof 1974, 1975, and 1976 and in the fall of 1976 immediatelyafter the presidential election. The paper focuses on the structureof political attitudes, the stability of attitudes, and theimpact of attitudes on the presidential votes. A central thesisis that public opinion can be disaggregated into two clusters—theDisintegration Cluster and the Alignment Cluster—one ofwhich disrupts and one of which reinforces partisan voting.On the basis of correlations between the seven factors makingup the clusters, we anticipate neither a rapid realignment nora disintegration of the party system, but instability, withelection outcomes affected by attitudinal factors salient toa specific campaign. We find signs of increased crystallizationof political attitudes compared to the 1956–1958–1960national panel. Finally, our voting studies indicate that theDisintegration Cluster had a significant effect on the 1972election, but that issues in general had little impact in 1976,once controls were introduced for party identification and candidateimage.